Saturday, February 15, 2014

The Case of Leanne Bearden

Leanne Bearden was reported missing, but we soon learned that police called off the search and stated that she left on her own free will.

Reports now say that she hung herself just a few blocks from the home.

If so, suicide by hanging is considered a 'violent' form of suicide, contrasted with a more 'gentle' or 'non-violent' overdosing of pills. Suicide by hanging is often preceded by a period of anger or rage.

The reward in this case was strange. I have not seen a reward divided into two sections as in this case. $10,000 for her exact location and an additional $10,000 for information that leads to her return. This might suggest that they knew she was suicidal.

The husband's statements, though not indicated for deception, did show distancing language with the repeated use of "we" in his statements. A missing wife is unclose and personal to a husband, yet in the words of Josh Bearden, the language was "we" continually, and he expressed no hope of finding her alive in his "never ever" stop searching statement.

We also saw an acute reaction to the public's questioning of this account. Not accused of murder or causing the disappearance, Bearden called it "hateful" questioning. This, when combined with the language of plurality ("we" and "us" constantly), made her disappearance sensitive. I read of some claiming to be close to the family condemning the writing that sex offenders should be checked in the area. It was written that this was an insult to Leanne. Dillingham's research showed what all parents know: the word "we" is used when the word "I" is appropriate, when one wishes to share responsibility or guilt, as if being 'lost in the crowd', like the school boy saying, "well, everyone was doing it!".

Why would due diligence be insulting to Leanne? If this was my wife, I would want ever offender in the area questioned.

It is likely that he knew her intention when she left the home as there was likely rage on her part, whether it be from the adjustment in lifestyle, from having traveled the world for two years, or, something even stronger, difficulty in marriage.

Texas Equasearch appeared to have known that this was not a search for a missing person in the regular sense of the word, which indicates that either Tim Miller was told, or sensed, that there was great trouble at home.

All marriages have trouble, and suicide, in all cases, leaves behind survivor guilt, even in the best of circumstances.

My heart goes out to Josh Bearden, and to Leanne's family. Should this be concluded that she committed suicide, no matter what, they will all suffer.

I do not see any shame should they have gone public and said that Leanne was not in a good emotional state and they feared suicide. This would have concentrated the search very locally, instead of false leads in another city.

Whatever ailed Leanne was too much for her to bear.

All remaining family members will feel guilt, even if they had nothing to do with what ailed Leanne. This is because when we love someone, we will ask ourselves what we could have done differently. It is only natural. "Why didn't I recognize the signs?" and "If I had only..." are among the things the loved ones will say.

One of the worst things that can happen is when someone expresses suicidal ideation and it is dismissed as "drama" or attention-seeking behavior.

Sadly, some who commit suicide do articulate their feelings, which later, leaves family bereft of comfort.

Josh Bearden and Leanne's family need to heal now. Best is quietness and professional intervention where needed. Those who knew and loved Leanne are hurting, and will for a long time.

It is a tragedy all around.

Most people in life have moments where they "despair of life", even as expressed by the Apostle Paul.

He had been run out of town, viciously maligned, and eventually was stoned by a mob, twice, and escaped with his life. A third stoning commenced, with the mob dispensing because they thought he was dead.

I can only imagine the psychological scars from these experiences. Did he, for his remaining years, wake up screaming in nightmares due to the vicious imprint upon his brain of an angry crowd throwing stones at his head, in an attempt to kill him?

My guess is that he most certainly did.

There is an ancient expression that each of us should not only remember, but embrace:

Everyone of us has a "crook in the lot", that is, within our "lot in life", there is something that is wrong; very wrong.

The "perfect family" does not exist.

Just as we all have physical health issues, we all have mental health issues as well. Everyone suffers, and those you view as seeming having everything in life, do not. It is a lie.

Behind the success are scars one may not see.

Each of us has shame in life.

Each of us has things that, given a chance to relive life, would do differently.

It is when these things begin to pile up one someone that the person may feel that there is no solution, or no out of the crook, and just talking about it can sometimes bring in better focus in life.

A writer who learned of his wife's infidelity had gone to a New England cabin to commit suicide. His foundation was gone. His wife of many years, from whom he drew his self esteem naturally, had left him.

He was determined to end his life, as he could not bear the shock. He did not see it coming.

He decided to write a letter to his grown children to explain his suicide. On the outside, he appeared to be a successful writer and was even financially comfortable.

As he wrote what had happened in his life, he found himself writing all day and into the night. He decided to postpone his suicide until the next day, as he wanted to finish the lengthy letter.

The next day he continued writing, explaining what had gone so terribly wrong in his life, in a way in which his grown children could now understand.

Marvelously, as he wrote, things came into perspective. He found that he was not overwhelmed by the details as he was just a day before and by the next day, he felt good enough to not commit suicide, but instead, decided to rebuild his life.

Thus the pressure on the brain was alleviated by his writing.

If you today are reading this and feel such despair, or if you would like to learn more about the tool of journaling to help with mental health, please consider this as an option, writing out what you have gone through first, and what you feel about it secondly.

Here are some books I have purchased in the past year that might help:

Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions

Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives

200 comments:

While I agree and respect your opinion on most of the cases I follow here on your blog, this is one case I disagree -- and it's okay ! I respect your opinion and appreciate all the hard work you do providing information on SA !

The facts, statements, and actions of Leanne's husband and his family are clearly contrary to the end result of what is now being stated Leanne's "manner of death" -- suicide.

There was no indication at all that she was "suicidal" in any of their released statements. The public was led to believe that she left of her "own free will."

Now, IF you are going to "hang" yourself, do you bring your wallet, credit cards, cash and a backpack along ?

So say she was upset and decided to "walk it off" -- and THEN decided to hang herself -- it still does not add up.

No one saw Leanne for almost a week prior to her going "missing" -except Josh -- Josh's family was out of town on vacation.

Josh and HIS family directed the entire investigation -- NOT Leanne's parents, siblings, and friends.

I hope that Leanne's parents and siblings request a second, independent autopsy to confirm this. And I hope they are privy to every police report, interview, etc. that was conducted in Texas -- as Leanne's parents live in Georgia.

$10,000 for her exact location and an additional $10,000 for information that leads to her return. did they break it apart like this, so that if she was still alive but didnt want to come home yet(take all the time you need babe) but they wanted proof that she was ok, but she didnt have to come home.

things to take with you when you commit suicide. when he discovered the backpack missing, i think he knew what was in it, the means to kill herself. it would not have been hard for her to go of her own free will and sneak the backpack away if she was intent on doing it.

other items she took with her.... the source of her anger? the credit card.

the guilt she riddled josh with for causing her to kill herself is her revenge.

I think there was an "argument" between LB and JB prior to Leanne going for a walk on the day she was reported missing (Statement Analysis). I think it escalated, got physical, and something happened. Then "panic" set in and the staging began.

IMO, it is easy to stage a murder to look like a suicide : Stage a hanging IF the person was strangled. Another one is a "bathtub drowning" -- this is one that is often missed as "murder" by investigators. Thinking of Drew Peterson here who "staged" his 3rd wife's murder to look like she "drowned" in the tub when he killed her.

The area where Leanne was found had been searched prior to Leanne being found there. HOW did they miss a body hanging from a tree ?

Also, a Toxicology Test is pending in Leanne's case.

I am anxiously awaiting for some statements from Leanne's parents and siblings, and her friends -- they knew her best !

"Texas Equasearch appeared to have known that this was not a search for a missing person in the regular sense of the word, which indicates that either Tim Miller was told, or sensed, that there was great trouble at home."~~~~~~~~~~

Texas EquuSearch (TES) of Dickinson, Texas (near Houston, TX) was NOT involved in the search for Leanne Bearden. Please correct the above statement. Your comment about Tim Miller is incorrect. He nor TES had any thing to do with the search for Leanne Bearden.

Texas Search & Rescue (TEXSAR) with offices in Austin, Dallas and Galveston, TX were involved in the search for Leanne Bearden.

Female Reporter: Well, how did you sort of determine... I mean, I know there’s an idea of the direction she went where she might have been, how did you determine that overall?

Greg Pyles: Good question. Texas Search & Rescue is fortunate to have search planners that are trained by our U.S. Air Force….and the US Coast Guard Inland Search & Rescue School. In their training they learn some details missing and lost person behavior characteristics. We also use a database of about 60 years worth of history in missing person’s cases and lost persons cases so we can take and correlate the details of this case to past cases and those cases help guide us in determining where the most probable areas are for this person.

Male Reporter: The physical search itself – is it going… I’m trying to figure out – get a sense is it going to be people walking on the ground – is it going to be people on horseback, on motorcycles? What are we talking about?

Greg Pyles: It will be all of those things, yes, sir, and there will also be air resources.

Female Reporter: So people on foot, people on horseback, people in vehicles…

Greg Pyles: ATV’s, yes.

Female Reporter: Okay. And, choppers?

Greg Pyles: Yes, ma’am, there’s…at present there is one helicopter assigned by the Department of Public Safety to this effort.

Male Reporter: And, canines?

Greg Pyles: Canines -- I believe we have 12 canine teams deployed today, which is a lot of canines, and they’re all good. We’ve worked with all of them before. They’re very good dogs

Male Reporter: At this point, you guys are looking at recovery not rescue, is that correct?

Greg Pyles: I can’t speak to that, sir, that would be up to the Chief.

Male Reporter: With the canines, I’m not completely familiar with the canines, because this is 8 days later, does that make a difference with the canines?

Greg Pyles: It does, sure. It’s a mix of disciplines.

Male Reporter: What does that mean? I’m sorry…

Greg Pyles: A mix of different certifications for the dogs.

Male Reporter: So it’s both searching and…is it – I hate to be morbid but is it cadaver dogs?

Greg Pyles: There are human remains dogs as well as live finding air scent dogs deployed today.

Male Reporter: And they can…they can catch a scent 8 days later?

Greg Pyles: They certainly can.

Male Reporter: That’s pretty amazing.

Greg Pyles: Yes, sir.

Female Reporter: You mentioned that when the police chief from Garden Ridge contacted you earlier this week, uh…that, you know, you looked at the case, you evaluated the details. What made you decide that this is a case that …where you guys could be of help? Why come here now?

Greg Pyles: Our resources are available to law enforcement when their own resources have been exceeded. We often are asked by DPS, the Texas Department of Emergency Management, or local jurisdictions to assist them as a force multiplier and a trained resource in these cases.

Male Reporter: I’m sorry, I don’t know if I caught it earlier, can you tell me how many people are involved with today’s search?

Greg Pyles: There are a little over 100 certified folks in the field today.

i understand what you are saying, but the only real "out" would have been a cell phone, which she didn't take. the other items were just so happened to still be in the pack, but she took the pack for the rope, secretly, and no one would wonder what was up with someone walking down the street with a rope if it was in a backpack. if she wanted an "out" it would have been obvious. jmo

There was a young man in my high school who was a star athlete, had a beautiful girlfriend, and was well-liked. When he committed suicide by hanging in his bedroom, no one in our high school saw it coming.

I don't think that all people who are suicidal leave clues. Or if they do, some certainly don't clues with everyone they know, especially not on a public blog or public social media profile.

Sometimes even the most vivacious people struggle and have inner turmoil. And sometimes they are the best at hiding it.

i know what you mean about ID and wallet and credit card, an "out", she can go on with life. thing is, if it isnt someone else who saves them, its just another one of their own failures. they need someone else to stop them, so if they really arent going to do it, they will give obvious signs and chances for someone to save them.sneaking a rope away into the woods with an hour head start is not giving an out to someone else to save them by having wallet with her.

A cell phone would have been an "out". But NOT an "out" enough, it would lead coming back to her problems... I think her "out" was an "out, out". If no suicide, the cash and credit card show me, Leanne wanted the big "out". She must of realized, the cash&cards would only be a temporary out and she would have to face the "monster"- monster of life, marriage or husband, whatever it may be... Her ID, cash, and cards were not part of being in the garage with the backpack, bars, as we know, rope and stuff..

The ONLY thing I can come up with that seems remotely logical is that JB knew his wife was suicidal and he was indifferent about it. Not all marriages are perfect matches, even newlyweds get divorced. They had just spent 2 years together, but alone. I know when I go on vacation with family or friends there are always arguments that happen because of the close quarters and so much together time. Two years is a long time to be traveling with just one other person and it leaves a lot of time to be with your own thoughts. Perhaps they realized that two years was enough to be together on a trip ... and in life. Maybe he figured if she killed herself it would be a lot easier on him than divorcing her. So he goes on TV and asks for help in searching, but then goes home and posts on Facebook ... and stalls. I think even the last "sighting" of her was over-the-top convenient and suspicious. It was so credible that the PI was even hopping a plane to check it out. She was allegedly spotted in Mexico, shopping, with an older woman. HOW PERFECT! She's engaging in a leisurely activity (with no $, mind you) with the most non-threatening person you could be with, a granny.

-WHY did "the family" direct the search team away from the area that she was found?

-WHY were cadaver dogs out 8 days after she disappeared, but the family's own PI is issuing statements and floating to the media that she left on her own and she's been spotted in Mexico three weeks later??

false sightings happen in all missing people cases. people trying to be helpful make errors in sight. all sightings must be considered a possible lead/tip, they must always be checked out. the goal is success

don't believe everything written by media. humans make mistakes. articles are edited, redrafted, shortened in context. you are not getting the big picture of all the facts of the search as it played out second by second. the article would have been too long.

I too agree with your post. I have never been left feeling like I've been "had" fooled, and sense that Josh's arrogance is a bit too much to handle.

So now because of the confirmed reports we're suppose to except it? I question so much on this case and have never been one to follow the pack, ever. My own personal gut is he is not innocent but at this stage there isn't much one can do, unless Leanne's family pursues other avenues.

It's like you can read my mind. I didn't sleep AT ALL last night worrying about ALL the many parts of this "story" that JUST. DON'T. MAKE. ANY. SENSE. Need I say who probably slept like an infant on a full stomach?! Sigh. But to take the focus OFF of Josh for a moment, WHY, OH, WHY was her family happy to sit tight in Georgia for FOUR WEEKS while their "baby girl" was missing?! My parents, who are not wealthy, who both have jobs and responsibilities, would have dropped EVERYTHING (even if it meant being fired or declaring bankruptcy) and made a beeline to San Antonio and set up camp until I was located (and my husband is someone they love, trust, and respect). Look at Beth Holloway. She left for Aruba with only the clothes on her back to look for her child. She hoofed it across that island searching. She didn't stay home and take someone's word for it.

What's happened here is TRAGIC on so many levels. In all honesty, this world seemed to be a cruel one for Leanne. Maybe that's why she traveled...maybe home wasn't EVER where she was happy. Somehow, I'm going to have to find a way to distance myself from feeling so strongly about her and about this tragic, tragic story. I'm not sure there will EVER be truth, answers, or resolution.

question about SAR dog failures, if a SAR team is following a scent, and that scent leads onto private property, can they legally pursue the scent with out a warrant? if they need a warrant, would the dogs pointing at a private property be enough to get a warrant?

I am hearing that Leanne left a note as this comment is left now on multiple comment sections (but not here on SA yet).

Does anyone have details about this note she left with her (maybe inside the backpack) ?

I would like to hear that it was hand written and not typed and that she signed it or there is confirmation that the note was not faked.

Was she found hanging with her feet clearly off the ground, or was she found slumped over with feet touching the ground.

It helps me to actually detail each scenario and then walk through it from the very start to the very finish and add every possible detail to see if it fits.

Example, pretend to have Leanne try to choke out Josh and then fake his suicide by hanging him... it is obvious it is not possible for such a small girl and big guy. Then you run it the other way and at least it seems possible, but would still take some heavy thinking and planning on his part (thus the need for his timeline to dial into those details are critical).

I just want some confirmation by a handwritten note that can't be faked easily or a demand from Josh to take a lie detector test so I know he was fully cleared vs. some other reasons cops said he was cleared (just to keep him talking and working with them). When you watch 50+ cold case files on TV, you realize how horrible the police work is on many cases and lose faith that the system will magically lead to justice.

Now with the mention of a suicide note from leanne left at the scene, I am preparing my apology letter to Josh, while I still am left scratching my head at why such an amazing and well put together Woman would/could do such a thing, it shakes my foundation for what I think..or what I want to think I can read from other people (sure the blog and videos were what she/he wanted me to see, but more than that the weird way that info or disinformation came out of Josh leaves me confused and baffled to the point of head shaking doubts).

I remind myself that the only thing worse that Leanne being killed and then Josh getting away with a fake suicide is that she did actually commit suicide and then Josh put in prison for a crime he did not commit.

I still really wanted Josh to want to take a lie detector test early in this process (and not really from the cops at GR as I have no real faith they really would do a great job)

I've wrangled with the "so do I owe Josh an apology" thoughts. And my conclusion is: No. I don't.I am NOT mentally drafting my apology letter to Josh because they only person who made him suspicious was HIM. Never ONCE has he made an attempt to clear himself - not with a simple statement, nor with a polygraph. If I was in his position, I would have put my polygraph results on billboards by now. There would be NO DOUBT as to my innocence. NONE. I'm sure it has been tempting for him to read fb and other news story comments. THE VERY FIRST TIME he was accused, he should have launched into action to clear himself. And he's done NOTHING but add to people's suspicion. So, no. No apology from me.

I too do NOT think this was suicide. But like the case with Rebecca... I think it may very well be labeled "suicide" and closed.

I still also think Hannah Anderson was involved in the murder of her mom Nd brother. Yet even LE claimed she was "totally innocent. Despite saying on national tv that Jim was signaling for help". Nothing has happened. LE need training in SA. They are letting too many cases close when it's so obvious.

It's frightening when even people as lowly as Billie Dunn is outwitting LE

One other comment... If she was strangled, I think that would be clear in an autopsy where if I am correct, if she hung herself... There would be very different marks/evidence...

I also meant to comment on her parents/family. I was wondering why we had seen no statements in the media on them searching. The fact they did not come is very concerning. That does not seem right.

Natalie Holloways parents to me are the example of what is "expected". Like the poster above noted. Mom and dad both were in Aruba the same day she didn't show to get on the plane home. Mom found Joren and was the first to question him. Then even went to his home to speak to his parents when they didn't get answers. Dad also went back with some buddies and they were going into crack houses and digging in landfills. That is what me and my husband would do. That is "expected".

IF Leanne handwrote a note, it should be reviewed and authenticated by a handwriting expert chosen by Leanne's parents/siblings.

BUT IF -- IF there is a note that was typed on a computer, LE needs to seriously look into this further as Josh stated that him and Leanne "shared" a computer. It would be so easy to "stage" a TYPED suicide note -- since they shared the same computer. And also, they need to check any other family members' computers in the home as well.

I agree Rachel! And if my husband was missing.... Social media is the last of my concerns. My husband made a last minute stop to his dads once to tell him off (his dad was an absent father and he got this wildhare that day to finally tell him how he felt) and didn't tell me. He went from being "on his way home" to not home hours later. I was in my car with our baby driving all over. Called his parents, siblings friends. I drove his path to work, his gym, anywhere as I was scared he was hurt, in a accident. To this day he feels bad... He was just on a mission... By the time he got home I was hysterical! And it was only 4 hours.

Peter, thank you for the helpful books. You are correct when you talk about survivor guilt. My youngest cousin committed suicide several years ago. I had offered for her to come live with me. I have always been sorry that I did not insist that she move in immediately.

1/25/2014This is the short audio clip posted on WOAI of the search day press conference held in the morning of 1/25/2014.

Q: Chief, can you give us a sense about what searches have already been done and how this will be different from what's already been done?

What I will say to you is that your interpretation of search and my interpretation of search frequently aren't the same. My interpretation of a search is that we search the area for any homes that might have cameras on them, that have footage. We research businesses and our own facilities, the tapes to see if anything shows, any sign of Ms. Hecht as she went for her walk that afternoon. The family have been massively involved. We have worked together with the Hechts and the Beardens They have contacted many sources and done private searches.

When I say we haven't had foot searches, our officers on every shift have walked. Understanding that we have a small community that is mostly a bedroom community and a good majority of our residents are a part of our citizen's police academy and have been very active and neighbors know each other in this community. It is very much a bedroom community where people know each other and talk to each other and the churches are a source of support for them and they spread the word. So the word has been out there. Our officers walk every shift, we've walked every creek. I don't think at this point that within our small six, little over six square miles of Garden Ridge that there's anywhere where someone hasn't walked.

Q: There was just some confusion with people saying, why, why doing this eight days later, why wasn't this done on day 1?

I can tell you that On day 1, our officers were walking and meeting with neighbors. On day 2, Comal County Sheriff's Office provided us their canines and we did a search. On day 3, we continued to followup every lead that came in. When we're talking about this week, we would have probably pulled this together by Wednesday. But we knew the weather events that were going to go on Thursday and Friday and we did not think it was practical to try. We would not have had the success that I think we will have today having better weather.

Carolyn Sue Autry Deason · San Antonio CollegeKaren Krull Totally agree! We have several other thoughts on this very sad case. You have brought up excellent points as well. Locally, there have been radio announcements on the news saying that there were 'sightings' of Leann in major Texas cities. This is disgraceful. If I were her mother I would not permit such reports. I have watched these videos for 3 weeks and frankly, the spouse, neighbors, in-laws remarks do not add up. Another point is, if you have a publicist, or pay the media enough, you can get these reports or videos or news articles to be biased. I live in the area. The FIL is a retired chaplain, very conservative, the local church is a very fundamental Baptist Church who would be partial to the family, naturally. With enough $way, this case could be put to rest. It does NOT look good for Garden Ridge publicity nor their law enforcement which is more like Mayberry RFD upscaled. GR community is old money and does not want bad press. What irks me is that if the media is going to keep these mixed up stories in the news, then John Q. Public deserves to know the truth! My spouse knows of, not personally, some of these old timers in Garden Ridge. Word gets around. Several have remarked (through the grapevine of community gossip), that they suspect foul play. This happened early on. Now the talk is being 'hushed'....so it appears. What's up with THAT? Appreciate your comments. In respect for Leann and Justice, I sure hope a thorough non family/friend connected, investigation is underway ASAP!

George StephanopoulosAnd what could be key here – this landscaper eyewitness.

Dan Abrams:Well, and I think it’s very important in corroborating his account. You know, in a lot of these cases where there is a family member missing and someone is suspected, no one has ever seen the person leave the house. No one is able to corroborate the account. In this case, the landscaper is saying, Yeah, I saw her leave the house alone, exactly as the husband lays it out, so I think now authorities really want to look around in that area, scour the area, hope…hope…hope that maybe there was an accident and that she fell, that she’s in desperate need of help, etc., and that’s why there are all these volunteers as well.

Most of you seem to miss a major fact . When Josh made it a point thru the media to ask property/land owners nearby "to do him a favor and check their property"

This is a very clear indication he strongly suspected Leanne had killed herself....and to think things thru a little further this was after his belated revelation of Leanne taking his backpack.He knew the contents of the backpack...including a rope.

I think he strongly suspected Leanne had killed herself with the rope.

This is during the time-period after the PI entered the case. Note that some of Leanne's family came in to search for her the day she was reported missing. Note that Josh says she can have her freedom.

February 3, 2014 11:26am “If she doesn't want to come back, that's OK. She can have her freedom,” Will Bearden said. “If she wants to come back, we'll come and get her where ever she is.”The family conducted additional searches over the weekend off FM 3009 where she reportedly was sighted.

Leanne's brother, Doug Hecht, said the uncertainty over his younger sister's fate is deeply troubling.

“This is very unlike her. I just want her back safe and sound,” said Hecht, 38, of Georgia.

He and their sister Joy Colombo traveled to Texas the day Leanne Bearden went missing to assist in the search, then returned home.

“We're having a hard time with it. I just wish we could find her,” Colombo, 44, said Friday. “It's just like baffling. Not one clue. Nothing. I have no idea where she went.”

If he suspected suicide why didn't he come out and say it? Why didn't he provide a timeline? Did he take a polygraph? Why did the story change many times? Why make videos private if if there was nothing to hide? Why is he name calling and spending time commenting to strangers he'll never meet. Why are there so many questions with this case and why do so many of the locals in GR say they know it's foul play. His family has money and his dad has powerful influence?

From hindsight I now believe Josh Bearden knew Leanne was likely to commit suicide.

I keep thinking back to his comment about the contents of that backpack, (paraphrased) 'it held power bars, a few other small items. OTHERWISE IT WAS EMPTY.' He had no reason to add "otherwise it was empty" except to emphasize something in the bag he didn't say.

As Peter stated, Josh shared his guilt with his pronoun usage. I read a comment on this blog where a husband said he "wouldn't let his wife out of his sight." Impossible! Josh told Leanne, "Babe take your time." I imagine he feels immense guilt from that alone. Their last conversation takes on a new light when I think he may have questioned how long she'd be gone because he has been suspicious of her intent.

Josh Bearden's defensive answers are par for the course when a loved one commits suicide. It's like your head tells you, "Of course, it's not my fault." And tries to shield you from guilt feelings. At the the same time your heart and soul are saying, "You dummy, you should have stopped her." And pulling the guilt on you.

I believe the family suspected suicide from the beginning, but when Leanne's body wasn't found began hoping she ran away. I think the PI gave them false hope because he specializes in mistaken identities and wild theories. It's when the PI came in that Josh began giving out identifying info and had hope from sightings.

I read their blog from beginning to end. What adventures they had! I don't know the background here, but it is so sad to think Leanne didn't see a future worth living and now her family and friends must live without her.

Oh, I agree wholeheartedly with Peter. Journal. I use the 'The Artist's Way' method of "morning pages."...three long hand written pages every morning. Even if you don't feel like it, write. It's surprising what comes up and gets settled in my pages.

I respect your expertise Peter, and I always find your explanations logical. I understand what you are saying about JB's distancing language in regards to possible suicide.

But, even if I attribute Josh's distancing language to suicide guilt, I can't square away his very strange behavior.

-Claiming they couldn't search due to the trouble of getting waivers signed.

-Josh's laser focus on fundraising, which he mentioned/demanded nearly everytime he was called out, repeatedly saying "if you want to help Leanne, put your money where your mouth is". (The focus on fundraising makes no sense in the theory that they suspected suicide all along.)

-As far as I know, despite all the emotionally charged cases covered on the blog, Josh Bearden is the only family member to come to the blog, create a NAMED profile, and proceed to insult, and verbally spar with other commenters.

-JB spent his extensive time online arguing, rather than providing the repeatedly requested timeline, and other information requested daily (by his SUPPORTERS). He spent his time on FB, and scouring the articles about Leanne's disappearance for comments about him to berate and shame anyone who questioned his bizarre behavior. It takes an extreme amount of arrogance to behave that way, while simultaneously asking the same people you are berating for help.

-His remarks about Leanne consistantly had a disparaging tone. I find that completely unexpected if he indeed suspected she was suicidal.

-Josh's overall lack of urgency. Failing to provide repeatedly requested information. Failing to post pics of the items she was wearing until day 23 of her disappearance, and even then the pics were not the actual items. (They were all qualified, 'a watch band like this one, only hers is thinner and blue', 'sunglasses LIKE Leanne's, that she MAY have'). Josh was asked repeatedly whether the woman in the multiple 'sightings' was wearing the same clothes each time. He never answered,

-Most importantly, JB withheld the most crucial information needed to help find Leanne. Why would he withhold that she was suicidal, and instead make statements that she left on her own, and planned it, making her a low priority for LE, and the public to search for?

If Leanne's family has doubts, then they should pursue them, in my opinion. I don't want to get gory, and I will try to put this delicately...Leanne was gone for almost a month before her remains were recovered. From what I have read, after that amount of time, a finding of suicide would be based on the situational/scene evidence, due to the condition of the remains. If there WAS a note, but it was not handwritten, I find that suspect.

For me, it was watching her youtube videos, seeing pictires of her amazing adventures, and reading her blog.

Her personality really came through. We usually only get to hear about a victim/missing person second hand, through their family member's, and a few pictures rotated through the media. But, Leanne's writings, her pics/videos, and her experiences shared on her blog made a huge difference in the emotional toll this case took on me.

Here's an interesting quote by JB from Tuesday, Feb. 11th; he's talking with a tv reporter:

"'Again, at this time there is no evidence that points to any crime being committed, but the lack of any real credible information and lack of contact by Leanne to any of us has us extremely worried and we just want to know that Leanne is OK,' Josh Bearden told KENS 5."

The first half of the sentence stands out from an SA perspective: 1) "Again" -- as if JB feels the need to remind us of the info that follows. Why would he do so? 2) Peter says that what's stated in the negative is sensitive, so why does JB bring up the idea that there's no evidence a crime has been committed?

There were indications that she might be suicidal. From what we were told, she was anxious, trapped, and restless. Her need to burn off ADHD energy with a jump rope (very odd behavior for an adult) may have been a coping mechanism for hypomania. I also wonder if she was married to an alcoholic, haphazard, lazy bum (read the travel blog and count how many times Josh posted he was searching for her, yet on social media all day).

People who are suicidal are always ambivalent. One minute they are going to take their lives and then they change their minds for a time. They don't sink into a "stage" where they become certain they must die unless they are also having other mental health symptoms (delusions, cognitive problems, hallucinations).

The family should ask for a second autopsy from the little remains which were left after exposure to a month of 60-70 degree San Antonio days.

My point in bring this up is this woman had shown clear signs prior and communicated to her mom her problems.

It has been stated that suicide is a 'spur of the moment' type decision and many hold close any indications of severe or deepening challenge.

It seems that may be true with men who hold a lot of pride but with women; it seems far more likely that all telltale signs would be clear and out in the open. In the case of Leanne Hecht, even more so.

Hence, why it doesn't add up that the Hecht family was taken so by surprise by these events.

It is possible that Leanne spent the last 22 months away from everyone other than her Husband and although they would visit friends or make new ones in different countries, that Leanne was not in as great contact with Home/family due to all the traveling?

Maybe the extensive traveling kept her from being in regular/normal contact with close friends or family, so the blog was a shortcut way to stay in touch and update everyone at once. When she did get to actually speak to them by phone, half the calls were wasted on what we are doing/where we are, or where off to next with little time to dive deeper into feelings of stress or anxiety.

Again..this is just wild speculation as the travel situation might change her opportunities to chat/connect as well with friends as before and explain away why no one saw this coming...... ?.

so if you were in a similar situation as Josh, and you know you may need to rely on social media to help get the word out, create bigger search teams or raise money to hire PI's or other expensive things, would you Demand to take a lie detector test, or just avoid the entire issue (assuming of course you are innocent). ??

Would you avoid the lie detector test if you had been fighting, or even had a minor physical altercation in the days leading up to her disappearance. ??

"I dont think much of josh, but hell who isnt on social media...all day.... these days? Cellphones make it simple to multitask."

If most people thought their loved one was injured, dying, or was rotting in the warm San Antonio days, they would refrain from social media. This would occur because they were crawling on their hands and knees through scrub brush until they found their family member. It would have taken effort for some family member to do this and her husband should have set the example for all of his family. He didn't do this because of his personal failings and she rotted for over a month. This is what disturbs me MOST about Josh.

Many things that the husband has said and done make him suspect. If nothing else, that he allowed her to walk away in the state of mind he claims she was in. I could not do that. If I knew that a loved one was in such a fragile condition there is no way I would let them out of my sight. If he really thought she was suicidal he should have sought help for her.

So whether she was or wasn't in a suicidal state, HE has stated many things that would indicate she was and if he was trying to set the stage to cover-up a murder by saying those things, he hasn't helped his case.

I don't think this was Leeanne's first threat of suicide. I think she may have behaved similarly before but always came back when she said she would. When she did not come back in 3 hours, I think alarm bells started to go off for Josh. People do not generally call the police with a missing person's report if someone is a couple of hours overdue. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors in a marriage. I do believe there had to be signs of mental distress of long standing for Leeanne to hang herself at 33. Did her family miss the signs, did Leanne refuse help? Once again, who knows.

I have lived this story. Not with a spouse but with a mother who was suicidal. Fortunately she wasn't very good at it but she kept trying. As I worked through the aftermath for years, I remember something my psychiatrist told me that helped. He said suicide is always manipulative either to control the behavior of the other person or to get even. It puts the person listening to the threats in a damned if you do and damned if you don't position.

I haven't been able to comment on this post until today. I needed to examine my perspective. It is that you can heal. There is still a tinge of anger towards my mother, which indicates that I may never completely heal. But the overriding sense is one of compassion for the pain she carried and admiration for her endurance. She lived a long time and her latter years were fairly peaceful.

As one of the few survivors who jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge said in later years that while he was in the act of jumping the thought crossed his mind," This is the only problem I can't fix."

This is the most bizarre case I have ever heard of. I am a friend of a friend of the couple, so I only know about it all second hand, but there are so many questions!

1) Why would she want to cause so much ruckus and know she may not be discovered, just to kill herself in the end. This type of behavior would have to come from a very, very messed up individual, who wanted to "pay back" her family for something. And, as far as I know, through my friend and through her blogging, she wasn't this sort of person.

2) I have read reports that she was found with her backpack still on. Why would someone take a backpack off, take out the rope, tie it up, and then take the time to put their backpack back on before hanging themselves?? It just really seems like something a murderer would do, trying to be *too* careful with setting up the scene.

3) How on earth did no one notice a dead body hanging from a tree for weeks?! A dog died on our property one time and we found it within a a couple weeks due to smell and animal activity!

4) How many women choose hanging as a way to commit suicide?? I'm thinking maybe the computer records / internet search history might lead to some clues in this area - whoever tied the noose would probably need to research that (I don't know anyone who knows how to tie a noose, personally) - if it was researched before the day she disappeared, this would point to suicide. If after, it would point to Josh trying to cover up murder.

Anyway, there are only a few of the mysteries surrounding this case. There are many more as well.

Although there is no way to make sense of all the odd statements or behavior from Josh, it would remove my major doubt of him if the suicide note was handwritten from Leanne and was not faked (not typed).

Perhaps some of you remember the case of a high school wrestler whose death was initially called a suicide but then an independent autopsy confirmed homicide. Wasnt it in Georgia? Isn't that where Leanne's parents live? Hopefully, if they are doubtful, they will ask for a second autopsy.

On a second note, my young nephew of 16 years old was found hanging in his garage about six weeks ago by my baby sister. My mother, myself and my siblings rushed to the house while the detectives and coroner were making their investigation. Even though he did have emotional troubles, my mother and one of my sisters were sure someone was with him and murder was possible. It wasn't. No one wants to believe suicide. Besides the obvious, my mother was initially concerned about his soul on religious reasons. Denial can be automatic. The shock and sting are beginning to subside but the hurt is only getting stronger. Hurt is what we feel for him and for ourselves for not having a fortune telling ball.

I also want to say something about the sightings. Don't assume the sighters (?, is that a word?) did so maliciously. Sometimes people are so desperate to help, they are mistaken. In 2008, my brother became missing after a stop at my mom's house. Though he was an alcoholic homeless man by choice, he saw her at least every other day. When she became worried, we began by checking out the downtown area and homeless camps. There is a huge and loyal network for the homeless. They look out for one another. We posted fliers in all the quick stores (cops didnt want any part of it), food pantry kitchens and underneath the bridges. It was in the middle of summer so there were homeless groups that went far into the woods surrounding these stores and bridges. It is so unbelievably sad how many people, including families that live in the cubbyholes high in the bridges. I found their belongings, hairbrushes, toys, even their medication in each of the segregated area under the bridges. Every single space was taken up. I am wandering...back on point. I asked many many many people if they had seen him and where. I received several sightings of him and there is no doubt in my mind that they were being truthful. It seemed to ease my mind for awhile. After two months of searching on my lunch hours and every weekend, i went a little farther into the woods than i ever had. I found his body. The coyotes had gotten to it. His body was little more than skeleton bones but his flannel shirt and the shoes i had bought him were quickly recognizable. There was no way those people were were truly sincere saw him but they wanted to and they wanted to ease my mind. You never know. pam

Would definitely confirm suicide if there was a hand-written, signed note. But, I have not heard of a note, other than rumor? It's just all so strange, and my heart breaks for the families and friends.

I find SO many aspects of his behavior and statements unexpected...even callous. If he suspected suicide, I would expect nothing but 'romanticized' notions to be expressed about her. Also, a strong denial, and an urgency to find her, and prevent her harming herself.

In the suspected suicide theory, how do we make sense of the statements JB made directly to Leanne? Why didn't his statements reflect fear of her actions? They were distant and didn't address the obvious topic of suicide. His statements were basically generic, 'WE love you, WE are just worried about you, it's ok if you want your freedom, WE just want to know you are ok, etc.'

If your wife or loved one was missing, and you suspected they were suicidal, what would you say to them in hopes that your words could influence them not to take their life?

Would you say, 'the house is fine, and the truck is up and running, let us know your ok, etc'.

OR, would you say, 'Leanne I love you, please come home. I'm begging you don't harm yourself, you have so much to live for, etc'?

I would chock all the hinkyness up to JB just being a strange person, if she left a handwritten SUICIDE note...meaning one where she expressed her desire to kill herself, and said goodbye to loved ones. (not just a journal entry type writing about 'trouble adjusting'.)

(I'm thinking of the case where the guy with a mistress half his age, pushed his wife off a cliff and later produced torn out journal entries about her life frustrations as a suicide note, that he claimed proved she commited suicide.)

Upon learning of Leanne's suicide i was very sad but when i went down the comment section and saw the report of hanging, my heart hurt with a physical pain.

He had suicidal ideation for awhile with intensive therapy but weeks before he hung himself, he quit talking about it. I made an earlier comment on the last post about what to expect when someone is going to use suicide to end their pain. If you know anyone who often speaks of suicide but then stops talking about it altogether, that is a sign for immediate concern. He used facebook as a quasi-suicide note. His last few hours after the family had went to bed that night was to send out "friend requests" to family and friends he had not previously requested to be so. He did not leave any family member out. The coroner's time of death was shortly after his final friend request.

Leanne might have felt the overwhelming pressure to build up their finances alone. I think i read somewhere she was very focused on finding employment but he was producing little effort in securing a job. She may have found his lack of ambition too much to handle. They might have fought over finances, leading to her having the credit card and probable last $60. I would be interested in the last credit card purchase by Josh. Chances are it was something they could have lived without considering their financial status. How did he know she had her wallet if he was upstairs on the computer? How did he know she had the credit card and exactly $60? They must have had some discussion about how much money they had.

Though this hypothesis is purely speculation, the hunch comes from his own words.

Blogger Peter Hyatt said...The planning is key to understanding the depth of pain that Leanne was in.

I wish I knew less.

Peter

February 15, 2014 at 12:19 PM

__________________________________

Peter, does this mean you wish, in general, that you knew less about suicide & its signs/symptoms -- or are you implying that you know more about Leanne Bearden's situation specifically & wish you knew less?

I appreciate your efforts to explain your perspective on this case. However, I think there are too many questions about Josh's comments & behavior to simply accept the ruling of suicide. I also have to agree with others: a handwritten, verified note by Leanne is the only way I'll stop suspecting Josh's involvement in Leanne's death.

Anonymous said...so if you were in a similar situation as Josh, and you know you may need to rely on social media to help get the word out, create bigger search teams or raise money to hire PI's or other expensive things, would you Demand to take a lie detector test, or just avoid the entire issue (assuming of course you are innocent). ??

Would you avoid the lie detector test if you had been fighting, or even had a minor physical altercation in the days leading up to her disappearance. ??

This whole story reeks. Praying her family and friends don't just accept this and let it go. I sense much, much more beneath the surface here. My intuition is not just buzzing, it's screaming that this is not as it appears on the surface. If I were her family or a friend, there's no way I would accept this as case closed, end of investigation.

What type of physical altercation, I wonder, between a man Josh's size and a woman Leanne's size, would be considered "minor"? Judging by their sizes, it wouldn't be hard to guess who the aggressor would have been, so "anonymous",to clarify your comment, what would be considered "minor"? If Josh were afraid for his wife, no idea what may have happened to her, wouldn't he want to tell the police everything and anything that might determine if she was abducted or ran off on her own? Would he really worry about protecting himself against suspicion because they were fighting in the weeks leading up to her disappearance and that they'd had a "minor" physical altercation? Just trying to get some clarification on your comment.

interesting-1/4 mi. as opposed to 2 mi. could she have started out walking, angry,landscaper saw her, but then someone went after her in a car? I find it hard to believe her body was still hanging from the tree 3 weeks later. Areas of the body that have sustained trauma/injury decompose much faster. that combined with animals, etc, I just find it very hard to believe she would have still been hanging-perhaps that's why the earliest reports of her having been "buried".

Someone posted earlier about the backpack. Very interesting.She had to take the backpack off the remove the rope, why put it back on before hanging yourself?! Staged crime scene? The other possibility I considered she could have removed the rope, put the backpack back on and then scouted for a location...

I agree with ur post ima.grandma at 8:02pm...The finances probably close to nothing and add a broken down truck and something going on with the house. Josh made a note in the media to Leanne that truck and house problem is fixed... He seems, hell is, a not-jump- on-it-kind of guy, that's for sure or she wants things done immediately. Leanne probably shouldered all the hard stuff in this marriage and all financial burdens. Maybe she didn't anticipate just how behind they would be when they came back to US and could not imagine having children brought into this at this stage in their life..Much love to you, Ima.grandma, keep on, keepin it on!! :-) Proud of u! Blessings!

Dear Lemon and JerseyJane, your words give me peace on this Sunday morning. Age does have its benefits. For every tragedy I experience I am convinced God allows me to gain twice the strength it took to overcome the loss.

I am curious about the rope used for the hanging. Most hikers often carry some form of rope and this is often very strong, but thin type rope so that it can remain small or less to carry in a backpack. Most rope I see used in hanging would be thicker. Just curious if Leanne got the rope, was this normally an item carried in the backpack as the 2 reported power bars were? Or was this extra item found in the garage and then part of the planning required to pull this off. My wife might have some trouble finding a rope in my garage that would work for such a goal, but I would have no problems. I am still curious about the details of how the body was found (feet off the ground by any distance, or was rope used to slump into your own weight to cut off air slowly, vs. jump off a stump or low hanging branch that would take more work/planning/skill?

Curious also if she was actually wearing the backpack when found as that sure seems odd to me. The only logical reason to do so is that the wallet or ID might be in the backpack or note inside the backpack and she wanted that found. Drivers licence could easily be removed from walet to put in back pocket to help ID the body, so that is easy fix and so unless there is a note inside backpack that somehow helps insure it is found, then that is only reason. Unless weight of backpack helps insure peaceful death process due to extra weight or some similar reasoning? I would think parachute cord would be likely an item that would/could be stored in the backpack all the time, but a big fat rope would not. Thus fat rope shows more planning or work to find/use. I would think some would want to research this the computer (how to tie the knot, or what might help avoid unnecessary pain. At least I would), so was there anything found on the computer? Did she type up any practice suicide note and then delete it to show maybe she was thinking about this weeks or days before, or was this a spur of the moment, or anxiety attack gone bad?

I remember being shocked by the suicide/hanging of TV star Gia and had it not been for the note she left and also she had been on the phone with her mother during the suicide and thus the conversation and level of distress she explained just moments before her death did not point to foul play. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/report-disturbing-details-gia-allemand-death/story?id=20035629

I just wish they would share details of a suicide note from Leanne that helps remove any suspicion from Josh/Husband or anyone else.

did the share any details to confirm if she did have the Jeans, Tshirt, same hiking shoes pictured with pink laces, watch with dark thin band, etc? (why was there no Jacket on?) Did she have the $60 in cash in the wallet? It would seem that if a Bad guy did this (random kidnapper theory) they might keep the rings, or money, or take a trophy, so it seemed those items all found with the body to point away from other theories.

SAN ANTONIO — After a full day of searching Garden Ridge for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, last seen there leaving her in-laws' home for a walk Friday, her family and friends still are struggling to find answers — and Leanne.

More than 50 volunteers convened early Wednesday at Covenant Baptist Church in Garden Ridge to launch their search for the 33-year-old woman, who loved the outdoors and recently had finished a worldwide trip with her husband, Josh, 39.

On Wednesday, he conducted a separate search with some of his friends, said his father, Will Bearden.

“He's maintaining, but it's very hard,” Will Bearden said.

...snipped from same article

Nick Nelson, 33, said he has been friends with Leanne Bearden since they attended Roswell High School, outside of Atlanta. In high school, Leanne was voted “best all-around” of her graduating class.

“It was just like, the best person,” Nelson said. “She was a friend to everyone in high school. Very unpretentious, fun, adventurous.”

Nelson was among the volunteers who searched the area around FM 3009 on Wednesday. A tree trimmer, working across the street Friday, had reported seeing Leanne leave the house, about half a mile from the church, and walk toward that road, Will Bearden said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------I remember some talk on here about this day, i believe it was Jan. 22, about he and his friends going searching. There is probably an exact quote. There is another article i read that came out after she was found and a neighbor is quoted saying something about Josh and his friends offering to go a separate way. I just cant find it again. I think the man was listed as 77 years old.

Btw: There were also some comments re: the dogs losing her scent at the end of the road. Josh said something like: you can ask her sister if you dont believe it. A possible excuse for later on? that he tried to find her, it just didnt work because as far as i remember they were either privately hired dogs ot the PD called the dogs off. And what was the reason dogs lost her scent??

My great granddaughter is needing the iPad (she just NEEDS it, please great grandma, pretty please) so maybe someone else can find a connection.

I remember some talk on here about this day, i believe it was Jan. 22, about he and his friends going searching. There is probably an exact quote. There is another article i read that came out after she was found and a neighbor is quoted saying something about Josh and his friends offering to go a separate way. I just cant find it again. I think the man was listed as 77 years old.

______

I can't find any Bearden articles by Peter before 12/27. I remember discussing this case before 12/27 too. Why were they deleted frim this blog?

Jay Hamm, 77, who lives across the street from where the body was found, said Bearden's family came searching in the area the day after she went missing. He said he wasn't sure if other searches covered the area.

“It's always been quiet out here,” said Hamm, who's lived here for over 30 years.

The property where the body was found Thursday afternoon is a 2.4-acre lot, Comal County records show. Satellite photos show the property includes a house and is partially wooded.

I remember some talk on here about this day, i believe it was Jan. 22, about he and his friends going searching. There is probably an exact quote. There is another article i read that came out after she was found and a neighbor is quoted saying something about Josh and his friends offering to go a separate way. I just cant find it again. I think the man was listed as 77 years old.

______

I can't find any Bearden articles by Peter before 12/27. I remember discussing this case before 12/27 too. Why were they deleted frim this blog?

Anyone know of someone was strangled by a rope... If it would appear the same as hanging by a rope.

I am wondering..... Let's say there was a fight... She left.... If the scent by dogs did stop.... Maybe josh got her... Strangeness her with the rope then to cover pulled her up in the tree to appear like suicide.

Just one thought I had. Since it appears the autopsy was done Friday and it seems like they are calling it "asphyxiation by hanging" if there could have been something else that made it appear this way.

Jerome, I agree. I'm bothered by the outcome as well. Something is very wrong here.The police stated that the conclusion was that she died very shortly after leaving the home, that it happened quickly. From everything I know about decomposition (which certainly isn't everything) I don't see how, after 3 weeks in the elements and variable temperatures, they could narrow it down to "very shortly after she left the home". At best, they should have only been able to narrow it down to 24-48 hours, if that. It appears-IMO-we're being spoon-fed things that make no sense. Also of note, when police say a person is not a suspect or person of interest doesn't always meean that's true. Sometimes they play necessary games to reach their end goal. Sometimes they'll even tell a POI it was suicide in the hope that the person is egotistical enough to say "that can't be!", wanting "credit" or recognition for what they've done. They will tell little while lies to get the POI to slip. All just my opinion and points to ponder.

THIS BRINGS ME SOME HOPE!!! From the fb page of a cousin of Leanne (Kim Hecht Bates):

Kim Hecht Bates Nothing is concrete yet...but as I know its all over the news so I felt I'd share what they are saying. Until we know everything (if we ever do) I don't wish to personally judge what actually happened yet. All is still just "assumed".Yesterday at 12:28pm

I remember some talk on here about this day, i believe it was Jan. 22, about he and his friends going searching. There is probably an exact quote. There is another article i read that came out after she was found and a neighbor is quoted saying something about Josh and his friends offering to go a separate way. I just cant find it again. I think the man was listed as 77 years old.

______

I can't find any Bearden articles by Peter before 12/27. I remember discussing this case before 12/27 too. Why were they deleted frim this blog?

No articles on Bearden were deleted from the blog.

Peter Hyatt

February 16, 2014 at 4:21 PM

I am sorry i wasnt clear on this comment. Miss Brooklynn was hurrying me up to play Chica on Sesame Street. What i should have said was the talk i was referering to was in a comment discussing a previous newspaper article. I didnt mean to imply Peter had a blog article with this topic. I apologize for the confusion. I am sorry Peter for my hastily made comment. I found the link i was referring to and posted it earlier.

several names are listed on wikipedia. I only read a few of the most recent cases..

so far what I have see is all did this in their home....and were either charged/convicted of crimes, were watching as their whole world went downhill or the family said there "was a history of depression".

still reading but its interesting.

also noted that the death can take some time. one model (gia 2013) actually died later in the hospital. the self hanging gave her brain damage and was on oife support.

seems really awful to do to yourself and it would not onky take time to prepare the rope.... but carry it out.

a woman who traveled the world, with what appears to be no history of depression, who has also likely seen just how bad it can be I would think would come home with a different view.

again we may never know...

but unless there is something that explains why.... I think I will always question if this was in fact homicide

Hi Jerome-you can call me Sam :) Agree with your comments also. I usually get a pretty good "feel" for people and always trust my inuition. A lot of the bad vibes I'm getting he caused himself by his various posts. Much better "read" than if I'd just seen him in interviews. I see him (my impression) as very domineering and controlling and I see Leanne as the level-headed, more mature of the two. I just don't like what I'm seeing with him at all. Doesn't make him guilty of anything, but I get a definite feel that their marriage was, to put it mildly, less than ideal. Also, for some reason I'm not sure of,my mind is totally stuck on his comment "Babe, don't be scared." From the outset, it was thought she ran off on her own. Why would she need to be scared or reassured that they were looking for her if that was a choice she made and planned? If you make a choice to leave your husband, it'd be rather odd to hear him say "babe, don't be scared." So, what was she scared of? Just an odd statement that stuck with me.

Anon 7:34, I agree, pretty horrific thing to do to yourself. Odd to go off into the woods behind someone's home to do it also. I don't even know what exactly is wrong with this case,foul play or not. I just very strongly feel something is way off here. Everything I've seen of her in the videos, read in her blog, heard from her friends and family goes completely against this being something she would do and in this manner. I know from experience that when a person is suicidal, their mind isn't working right and many times, people are shocked because it's so unlike them. Taking all of that into consideration, I still feel there's far more to this :(

Carolyn Sue Autry Deason- We live on 1/2 acre just outside of Garden Ridge, TX. The very small community of new and old pricey homes with high taxes, (no stores, one new school, one Mayberry type police department). We know this area well having lived here for many years. My spouse knows several Garden Ridge residents. Not one of them believe Leanne committed suicide, let alone hung herself in that rugged, tough terrain. This sad event is full of holes, way too many unanswered questions, and what clearly looks like to us, an expensive cover up for some strange reason. If this family and her many friends truly love Leanne, then do the right thing and hire serious, professional investigators to determine her death. If you think the family is going through too much grief, pain, and shock, how selfish is THAT? What about JUSTICE FOR LEANNE?

Another random thought, if you were going to commit suicide, would you choose such a violent manner and go off to a location where you knew it could be a very long time before you were found, a location where you hope you wouldn't be found? I would think regardless of mental state, it's human nature to want to be found & have a proper burial. Also, as Peter stated, such a violent manner would indicate anger/rage, wanting to get back at someone. A friend's son hung himself in their basement while he was out. He left a note on the kitchen table "hey dad, I'm in the basement, come on down." He wanted him to find him, he wanted him to suffer. Leanne didn't know if anyone would even find her before she skeletonized. The manner and location indicates she wanted everyone to think she just ran off and disappeared, never to be heard from again. I find that hard to believe. I picture the whole story in my mind, her alleged actions-"going out for a walk, babe!" "how long will you be gone?" "About an hour, I have a call for an interview in an hour." "Ok babe, take your time". Huh? He just so happens to have a call coming in for an interview before she'll be back, so she can't take the cell. Did he tell her she couldn't take the cell? For me and everyone I know, it would've just been automatic to take it with me. I can understand them only having one cell, having been together 24/7, they really only needed one-save money-but I can't understand her not taking it with her & him calling the prospective employer to tell them he was without his cell & they could reach him on the landline at the home, especially given the fact that she didn't know the area.

They went to GA before going to Texas, I assume to see her parents. They would know probably better than anyone how she seemed, what her state of mind seemed to be, what the interaction between her and JB was like. I think it was very possibly him that posted here indicating fighting in the weeks prior and a "minor" physical altercation as a reason to avoid a lie detector test.

"Babe, don't be scared."

Anyone her size involved in a physical altercation with someone his size would be scared. Just the idea that there may have been a physical altercation between the 2 of them is an indication that he put his hands on her & is enough right there to question everything after, IMO.

Google maps tool is quite amazing, as you can drag and drop the yellow man symbol on any neighborhood and then walk around that neighborhood as if you were there in person. (street view)

It really gives you a sense of what it would be like to hike that route that Leanne must have hiked that day she went missing. Why I find this important is that I have to wonder how she picked this spot. How much planning went into this, or was it quite random?

When the news media said the approximate address for where the body was found, they of course used the address of the home owner who found the body and so the assumption is that Leanne must have walked in from that basic direction, so online there are various google map pics showing a walking route from Josh's parents home(9325 Sumac Lane).to the body recovery address (21643 Fairview Circle) that was 0.8miles away. Here is the google link for the walking directions.

I encourage any armchair detectives to use the streetview tools and walk the route.

here is the map. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/21643+Fairview+Cir,+Garden+Ridge,+TX+78266/9325+Sumac+Ln,+Garden+Ridge,+TX+78266/@29.6395912,-98.3084325,16z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x865c8e1fb0e566cb:0xac4d1e8c213cfff9!2m2!1d-98.310677!2d29.641658!1m5!1m1!1s0x865c91e24899c7b3:0xd6b26a7f4c8055c5!2m2!1d-98.306753!2d29.636751

Note that my first question was maybe Leanne actually came into the woods from the left side (along Forest Waters Circle), but when walking there on street view the homes are large and close to the street and no one would walk there without the fear of being caught or thought of as a burglar. Then walking the expected route, along Fairview Circle, there are a few trees or gaps between homes, but at no point do you feel you can just walk into the woods unseen to find a quiet place to pull off a possible suicide/hanging.

Then it hit me that directly behind this area there was an empty lot with a low wire fence along Schoenthal Road, where there are no homes and would be easy to cross the low 4 wire fence and then where the body was found.

Click here for street view as you might see just before crossing the fence https://www.google.com/maps/@29.642912,-98.311993,3a,75y,152.33h,65.48t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s--qgp14ONEMGIBQ8USeSuw!2e0

Anyhow, just speculation or common sense, but I don't think Leanne would have entered the woods where she was found by walking close to anyone's house as someone could report her as a burglar or as suspicious, so it makes sense she entered the woods from a vacant lot.

It does not make sense to me on why she might choose a place near her in-laws neighborhood vs. back in Denver or in Atl where you might know the area better, so maybe some event/fight triggered this (Did Josh know this area well?)

I can't find any reports of a note left with the body or backpack as confirmed, but hope Leanne left one to help explain why.

Thank you for posting that-that makes sense. In the news article posted just above your post, there were pictures of searchers along Schoenthal stating it was near where she was last seen & it showed the low fence. I am thinking a fight triggered this, IMO.

Hi Jerome, interesting that the locals are saying that. Another random observation that may mean nothing, if you do the google search on the Fairview Circle address & then zoom in, you can see exactly where she was found, just on the other side of his gate. It does make sense that she came onto his propery from Schoenthal but it strikes me odd that she was found just outside of his gate-when she could go no further because of the gate, when there are plenty of brushy/isolated areas between Schoenthal and the gate, but she chose closer to the house.

Off subject, but you shouldn't feel you have to have girlfriends to please anyone-you're who you are & you only get one life..live it in the way that makes you happy, don't compromise. Just my 2 cents worth :)

Why would she come off Schoenthal & walk approximately 2 acres right to his gate & choose that spot. Plenty of spots in between there. It would seem, and I would guess, she didn't know that gate was there, that she intended to cut through and it indicates, at least to me, that the spot wasn't planned-which would indicate she left home intending to hang herself with nowhere pre-chosen to do it. She just took off with a backpack & a rope with the intention of committing suicide & figured she'd just do it when she found a spot that looked good & the spot that ended up looking good was just outside a gate with a home not that far away? That doesn't make sense, like everything else about this case. If she left home with a rope, she had a plan-if you have a plan & are expected home in an hour, I'd think you also have the location planned. It could be she did plan that spot, but it certainly doesn't appear so. I'm no detective & surely not trying to be, but I do have common sense & I do know when 2+2 doesn't =4.

Thank you, Jerome-so are you :)Those who love you will no matter what and those who don't, don't matter. No-one will ever find true happiness compromising to make others happy; a very valuable life lesson I've learned along the way. That chart was very interesting. I don't know a lot about astrology and such, but I've heard that woman is very good.

Exactly. It would be nice if people could just accept that everyone is different and accept people for who they are. Sadly, it doesn't always go that way but I won't try to be someone/something I'm not just to please someone else. Be true to yourself or you'll just be miserable. Confucious say lol

That said, it made me think of this situation & putting myself in her place-together 24/7 for 22 months, if there's anyone in the world she should have been able to discuss the feelings she was having with, it should have been him (if she indeed committed suicide). Something obviously made her feel he wouldn't support her in her struggle and if she did do this, the way she did it, not just the manner but the whole situation, indicates that she was very angry :(

A last late night musing-police & the PI said they found evidence on her computer, e-mails, texts, etc that would indicate she was having problems and she left on her own. JB said "she had been talking to some of her friends who had done this sort of thing" (running off). Why have we not heard one single friend say anything like this? All of her friends and family say she seemed happy, well-adjusted, that she would never do something like this. Per his own statements, they shared a computer and a cell. Just something to ponder.

It was a very brutal way to go out :( Regardless of what happened, my heart just breaks for her. She still had so much life to live. While that trip may have ultimately in one way or another lead to her demise, I think it's good that she got to do it. She lived more in 33 years than many of us will in a lifetime.

I don't buy it either. I'd think that the police confirmed with those they were allegedly sent to, but judging by the way it's been handled so far, I woldn't be on it. Heck, they didn't even ask him to take a poly so I wouldn't exactly call it an in-depth investigation. I agree, he definitely doesn't give off any warm fuzzy feelings. Peter is awesome-I spend a lot of time reading here, but this is actually the first case I've ever posted on.

Carolyn Sue Autry Deason · San Antonio CollegeKaren Krull Totally agree! We have several other thoughts on this very sad case. You have brought up excellent points as well. Locally, there have been radio announcements on the news saying that there were 'sightings' of Leann in major Texas cities. This is disgraceful. If I were her mother I would not permit such reports. I have watched these videos for 3 weeks and frankly, the spouse, neighbors, in-laws remarks do not add up. Another point is, if you have a publicist, or pay the media enough, you can get these reports or videos or news articles to be biased. I live in the area. The FIL is a retired chaplain, very conservative, the local church is a very fundamental Baptist Church who would be partial to the family, naturally. With enough $way, this case could be put to rest. It does NOT look good for Garden Ridge publicity nor their law enforcement which is more like Mayberry RFD upscaled. GR community is old money and does not want bad press. What irks me is that if the media is going to keep these mixed up stories in the news, then John Q. Public deserves to know the truth! My spouse knows of, not personally, some of these old timers in Garden Ridge. Word gets around. Several have remarked (through the grapevine of community gossip), that they suspect foul play. This happened early on. Now the talk is being 'hushed'....so it appears. What's up with THAT? Appreciate your comments. In respect for Leann and Justice, I sure hope a thorough non family/friend connected, investigation is underway ASAP!

Hi Carolyn-I wondered what his father did for a living, thanks. That makes sense that it would make some more partial. I'm sure that Leanne being an "outsider" not from the area would make it even more so. It's so hard to wrap my head around them not asking him to take a poly right off the bat, day 1. That right there speaks volumes. I really do hope they'll have an independent investigation done. You hit the point exactly-the publicized it, they should expect that the public will voice their opinions & want to know. Jerome, haha I promise I won't call you a troll :) I'm not sure that I'd think a payoff, that would be pretty complicated-but possibly selectively turning their heads the other way, although could be possibly if their PD is that small and inexperienced in crime investigations, they just don't know what they're doing. When I read they closed the case, my mouth dropped - even before all the final results are in. That seems to me to go beyond just not knowing what they're doing, IMO. I've never heard of such a thing before. Sounds like they wanted to slam the book shut on this one pretty quickly which is very concerning.

the indicators that there was some sort of domestic altercation, could that have also been that josh knew leanne was having a hard day and he let her have some space?

is the "protection" of josh in this matter more of a suicide watch rather than a proclaiming his innocence? if they where on the same level when they met, maybe they decided to see the world before they leave it........

The first statement, that could well be. The second, if you're saying they made a conscious decision to go see the world & then end their lives when they returned, I very much doubt, just my opinion. What makes this so hard for her family & friends, I'm sure, is that the only person who knows her true state of mind is Josh. They were back such a short time, no-one would/could have seen the usually typical warning signs or change in behavior except him & the Leanne that would do this compared to the Leanne in the videos was a very drastic change, far more than just seeming to be a little anxious or having a hard time adjusting-they were only back 3-1/2 weeks.

I've made many lists of facts and possibilities and have thought about this situation for days from as many angles as possible. When I heard suicide I could not believe it.

But maybe that is exactly what happened. Perhaps Leanne had a psychotic break and there was little to no warning. This would explain almost everything that happened.

My daughter (normally a highly conscientious person) had 2 psychotic breaks and went missing both times.

In both cases, she wandered outside for a day before being found. In one case, she ended up on someone's wooded property where she spent the night outside, thinking she was meant to be there.

In a psychotic break, a person can do things that are completely out of character and that make no sense except to that person at that time.

Sometimes there can be warning signs, and sometimes there are no warning signs.

I can relate to what the Bearden family said to the media because when a family member is possibly mentally unstable and is missing, the family may allude to the mental state, but they don't know for sure if that's what happened. When their loved one is found, she might have many possible negative consequences because her breakdown was made public. So the family member wants to state this as delicately as possible and not violate the missing person's privacy or cause them problems.

The words used by the Beardens DID indicate that something might be affecting her mental state.

When someone is missing, the family may be contacted nonstop by media at a time when they feel powerless and helpless to find their loved one.

Leanne was seen walking alone by more than one person on that day. Another person was sitting on his porch and saw her walking. This confirms the date she went missing.

This would not leave much time for a crime to be committed and covered up. I don't see any huge problems, or motivations for a crime, or likelihood of a violent outburst.

Since Josh and Leanne returned to the U.S. in December, they have been visitors in their parents' homes for over six weeks, and were about to return to Denver in a matter of days, but would not be able to be back in their own home for 2 or 3 more months due to renters.

This could be a very stressful time for Leanne due to the huge transition AND to not yet being back in her own home. It's one thing to be on your own traveling as a couple but it's different to be living for weeks in transition, waiting to be able to start your next step.

My questions are:

1. It seems unusual that a woman like Leanne - who appears to be very conscientious as well as beautiful and who always looked great yet dressed simply - would choose hanging as a way of suicide. I don't see this as in keeping with her fastidious personality.

2. It seems unusual that she would choose to commit suicide in a place she might not be found. She seems like someone who would make plans first and who would make sure that her family was not frantically looking for her - but if she had a psychotic break, that might not be the case.

Law Enforcement has NOT stated whether there WAS or WAS NOT any note left by Leanne.

Law enforcement obviously has answers that they have not made public.

When my daughter was missing and it was made known to the community, after she was found and thankfully okay, I didn't want to give answers to people who had questions, because it would have violated my daughter's privacy, and because it was no one's business. They didn't even know us. I didn't want her to be known as "the girl who took off for no reason and caused a big search" but that's what happened. Some people criticized her for the search because they did not understand mental illness.

Saying that several people saw Leanne is equivocal to people saying they saw Leanne in various cities in Texas. I don't buy it. Also, from the interaction we've seen and had with Josh, he is not a nice person, not even remotely nice. He has referred to posters here as idiots and other adjectives I won't repeat. I believe he killed her. Where did you hear he is suicidal?

Anon 6:48, in talking about psychotic breaks, you say that a person having a psychotic break can do things that are completely out of character and make no sense to anyone but that person, yet listed in your questions/things you don't understand are things you see as completely out of character for her. You seem to think a psychotic break is a possibility-which would answer your questions. That was a bit confusing to me. I also respectfully disagree that she was seen by more than one person that day-she was also "seen" by various people in various cities over those 3 weeks, so I wouldn't take those sightings as absolute fact or proof. Read the stats on eyewitnesses in murder/abduction cases who are so positive they saw someone & who are many, many times wrong. It could be she was seen walking by these people, but I certainly wouldn't use that as any basis for an opinion. I also disagree that it's not the community's business. When it's out there & you ask for & receive help & donations, it becomes their business. I find a lot of curiosities/abnormal behavior in this case, such as Josh updating her FB profile hours after she was found. Really? Is that what a normal person would be doing? As the previous poster said, he has shown himself to definitely not be a nice person at all & has attacked the very people who were trying to help. I'm not saying he's guilty of anything. I'm saying there are enough inconsistencies, questions & peculiarities that her death is absolutely worth a second look by an outside investigator & medical examiner. If I were her family or a friend, I would want that to just be certain that I was satisfied that is what happened & that I was left with no questions or uncertainty. It could well be that is exactly what happened, but I wouldn't want to have any "what ifs". As far as the staying with their families & not being back in their home, she'd obviously shown herself to be adaptable to many different situations/living/sleeping arrangements over the past 22 months, although I agree being back in the states could have been very stressful. How boring to see family doing normal day to day things after what she'd experienced. She might have felt "wow, is this what I have to look forward to the rest of my life? Working, cleaning, making dinner?" Everyday life had to seem pretty abnormal to her after traveling the world. I'm sure after 22 months, that felt like her life & she was suddenly thrown into a whole different life-but she did say she was tired of traveling & anxious to return home to lots of hugs & kisses, so it sounded like she was happy to return home. There is no way to get inside the mind of a suicide victim. there is no way to ever guess what they were feeling or thinking-but from what I've seen of their blog & videos & from what her family & friends have said, this is far more than just out of character for her. I find it very hard to believe & I didn't even know her-not only the suicide but the manner, location, etc. I simply don't see her as the type of person to say "Back in an hour, babe, going for a walk!" to the person she just spent 22 months 24/7 with & ending up in a wooded area hanging from a tree by her own hand a short while later (according to police). She was anxious to get back to Denver & making plans with her friends. Again, it may be exactly what happened, but my intuition is telling me there's more-not necessarily foul play but that it goes much deeper than what's been told. I guess basically what I'm saying is that I don't believe this seemingly happy, conscientious, well-adjusted woman just suddenly snapped with no warning on return to the states without something else precipitating it. (Sorry this was so long)

Another of the many, many things that have caught my attention through this is Josh's statement when someone asked why the search dog was called off that they'd have to ask her sister that, that "I have to maintain good relations for now, so I won't say anything more." Odd statement, no? Did her family like Josh prior to this or were there issues for some reason? I would think he'd have been closer to her family than ever in this situation, if they were close prior. Just sayin'.

I haven't, either. I have seen him busy on FB changing profile photos and such, just today, in fact. could be his coping mechanism or whatever, but I don't know many people who would be making FB a priority right now.

10:28 pm thank you, you said what I didn't have time to write out. That person's comment was hard to follow and confusing. I wonder if they sat down like so many of us have done and watched her videos. I too searched for articles suggesting Josh is suicidal. Found nothing. Leanne's family stated she was looking forward to all the hugs and kisses, and happy to be home.

Another great point to touch upon, Josh doesn't seem to have close ties with Leanne's family. Tell me that isn't a red flag.I haven't been following him, but spending time on facebook is odd. I can't judge but it's off. Is he preparing for her service and such? He is acting more strange now, than before. Is he keeping the money that was donated for the search?

One last thing, the poster said that the Beardens stated something could be affecting her mental state. Did the poster follow all the crazy things that the Beardens have said in the past, and all the stories that have constantly changed, throughout this ordeal. I believe not one word from the Bearden crew. NOT ONE!

I only knew he was on FB because it was pointed out on another site. I also saw someone post a link to their Paypal receipt showing that their donation went to his personal account. Not sure if that means anything, but he'd said her sister was handling donations, so it was odd. He didn't seem to have close ties with them, which does make one wonder why. I haven't seen anything regarding him being suicidal either. I agree, just a lot of strange behavior. Certainly does mean he's guilty of anything, but it is clear, IMO, that something is just off here. I can't even explain it because it's just something I feel, that something, somehow about all of this is off. I picture the story exactly as told in my mind & it just doesn't work. A huge question, as has been brought up many times, is the lack of buzzards if she'd been hanging from that tree for 3 weeks.

The place I read about Josh being suicidal was here, though I am not sure what that source is - I think it's been seen in a comment on Facebook.

The Leanne sighting I'm referring to is another neighbor who saw her walking as she headed out of the neighborhood. This neighbor was sitting on the porch and named the exact street and direction as well. I'm not talking about the sightings that didn't pan out. I had not heard about that sighting at all until today.

I agree-they're the only ones I've heard say anything about her mental state. If she was in a fragile mental state and they knew it, then certainly her family or close friends would have known it also.

He said himself that he hadn't taken a poly because he wasn't asked to. When someone in this comments section mentioned he shoud have asked for one, an "anonymous" poster asked wouldn't you avoid it if you'd been fighting in the weeks prior and there was even a minor physical altercation? You'll see it if you look back in the comments. Also, when one woman posted about suicides in her family & her feelings about it, an "anonymous" poster told her karma's a bi&$h. Odd comment from an unknown poster for no reason, huh?

Anon 10:56, I heard about that sighing also. The direction he allegedly saw her walking was the opposite direction of where the gardener saw her walking. They could very well be legitimate sightings, but I just kind of take it with a grain of salt because in every case, there are many reports of sightings that are mistaken-not that those people are lying, just that they could be mistaken. I didn't see that comment here about him being suicidal, thank you-this the first I've heard of it. This story is just so tragic all the way around-I can't imagine what those who love her are feeling and how sad that she's gone-I think she was the type of person who would have gone on to have an amazing life :(

What's really sad to me is if they were fighting, if there was a physical altercation, if there were serious problems in the marriage, she was completely without a support system, as he had been her only support system for 22 months. His having access to her Facebook, etc. would appear that she couldn't write anything personal in e-mails home, etc. & his not even letting her take the cell the day she left indicates she probably didn't get any personal phone time with family, etc either. So if there were problems in the marriage, staying with his parents, she had no-one she could turn to & that makes me incredibly sad for her :( Just a thought, just an opinion & not based on anything at all, maybe they were fine while it was just the 2 of them traveling where he had complete control over her, but he didn't like the thought of being home, her getting back into the workforce & once again in close contact with her friends & family once they returned to Denver & a "normal life" where she would become more independent of him. Just a thought that may have caused some problems.

The source about Josh being suicidal is coming from the "Justice For Leanne" Facebook page and was quoted here on the "Hindsight in the case of Leanne Bearden" post.

"Carolyn Sue Autry Deason" who I think lives in that area writes: "I did hear that Josh is staying with his parents claiming that he is suicidal."

I do see the remaining questions and I have thinking about all of it almost 24/7 for days.

But if there is a handwritten note definitely from Leanne - then that would answer so many questions right there. And for all we know, there might be one.

I agree that in this case it is fair to say that the public has a right to some answers. I'm just saying that I found out how it feels when you're in the family's shoes.

If you list every fact that's known about this and ask yourself, if this was a crime, how could it have happened with these facts? Then ask yourself, if this was suicide, how could this fact be explained? I was bothered by what seemed like too many coincidences. So I tried to look at every single one to see if they could be explained. And most of them seemed to be explained. I do have a few doubts on some points but on the whole I think a psychotic break is what happened.

About the family seeming to change stories, this is what it looks like to me. First, they said she was missing. Then they said maybe she intended to be missing. Josh had noticed that she took his backpack. They said that there was evidence that she intended to go. Then when so much time passed, they said, something is definitely wrong; she would have contacted someone by now. The family did not want to call off the search, correct? The police called it off when they started thinking that she left on purpose. When that happened, Josh said, "As of now, we're on our own when it comes to searching." (not an exact quote)

But the family still was concerned that even if she left on purpose, she could still be in danger. They have always been worried about that. So really, that isn't as much changing stories as it seems to be.

Yes, Leanne's siblings made the emphatic statement that she would never just take off and not let someone know. True.

The police act as though there was a note. They seem to be drawing conclusions for reasons beyond what they have stated. Maybe that is the reason for the backpack being on her, to contain a note.

I agree with you about the family's changing stories-that never concerned me in the sense that they changed-they seemed to know pretty much from the outset that she was missing by choice. What's concerning is the police stopping searching so early on & closing the case so quickly. I believe they did find evidence in her emails, texts, etc that there were problems-what I'm not convinced of is that she wrote them herself, since he seems to have access to her accounts & texts. They do act like there was a note & if there was, that could clarify a lot. If there was, I don't blame them for not releasing it just to end the speculation. I wouldn't either. That's a very, very personal thing obviously & it would, to me, show total disrespect for her if they did. There are photos of the scene on the Scared Monkeys site from a newscast, but much closer up, of them with the gurney. If you look very closely, it looks to me like her backpack is hanging on a tree branch-so yes, it could be that it contained a note she wanted to be seen & she hung it on the branch next to her to be sure. There are things that don't make sense if this was a crime & there are also things that don't make sense if it was suicide. I can't see LE closing this so quickly unless they had definitive proof, but I also can't see them not making their very first priority asking him to take a poly & clearing him so quickly right off the bat. That makes zero sense to me, no matter what the circumstances. I don't even necessarily think there was a crime-I just think that, even if she did commit suicide, there's much more to it, that it wasn't this perfect, lovey-dovey relationship & she took off out of the blue & hung herself from a tree. I just don't believe that. I do think-just my opinion-that it was him that posted there was fighting & a "minor physical altercation", which would tell me he put his hands on her, which says a lot.

One thing is certain from his posts on various sites-someone should've taped that man's fingers together until this was over, because he did himself no favors.

I just read Peter's update & he put into words what I've been trying to say(and not doing a very good job of it)-if this was suicide, I feel something prompted it-a fight/abuse & that he knew-when she didn't return by early evening, he knew something terrible did happen. The story fed to us is that they had a wonderful marriage & that she was just anxious & stressed about returning to the states. I don't believe that. I believe something pushed her over the edge combined with that. Her whole world had just changed in returning home-she had a lot of adjustments to make. If she felt that the marriage was also over & she had to face an entirely new life, I can see that causing this. that would be a lot for anyone to bear so soon after returning. So maybe that's my feeling that something is wrong with the story we've been told. Maybe the real story (just my opinion) should have read "she was anxious and stressed about adjusting to "normal" life and the end of her marriage. She was anxious and stressed about adjusting to "normal" life on her own". That would make sense. This is all pure speculation, but given the fact that I do believe he posted what I referenced, perhaps he told her she was going on to Denver alone & he was staying in TX. She had no job, no home in Denver until May, apparently no money. I feel that if they had the happy marriage that's been portrayed, she'd have discussed her anxiety with him & they'd have gotten through it all together. If this was suicide, which by all indications so far it was, I think an impending collapse of the marriage was at the root of it, not her return to the states. IMO.

To anon 11:38 pm, what about him not taking a lie detector test? Just for the record, I don't agree with you whatsoever, but respect your answer. In the end we all share the same thoughts, and that is that Leanne was a lovely person, who has touched all of us, one way or another.

In defense of him not going after her if he knew she was suicidal or potentially suicidal, when my mother died, I was suicidal. I was in horrible shape for nearly a year. I did contemplate suicide. My husband just didn't know what to do with me. Not all men are good at dealing with those types of things & trying to deal with me in my extreme state of depression & grief can't have been easy. In one of my darkest moments one night, I told him I was going for a ride. I stopped & got a 6 pack, drove down to the lake & just sat there, drinking & thinking & I thought about putting the car in drive & just driving into the lake. In the end, my love for my husband, family & friends stopped me. I knew I could survive it & go on. I was gone a couple of hours. When I got home, he was shaking & crying & so scared that I would harm myself. He said he contemplated calling the police, but was unsure whether to cause a big uproar or just give me a little time. He just sat there praying I'd come home soon, but he knew he'd have to call the police soon if I didn't. So in that aspect, I can totally relate to JB's actions if this was suicide. It could have been a similar situation or he just thought she was being a drama queen. Still, someone should have taped his fingers together because proving to anyone that can read that he's definitely not a nice guy didn't help him any. His actions of messing around with her FB page hours after she was found, etc just make him look worse. He's seemed emotionally disconnected right from the moment she went missing, IMO.

Anon 1:00 a.m., I still think, no matter what the circumstances, it was negligent of LE not to ask him to take one & to just assume all was as it seemed. He said he didn't take one because he wasn't asked to and then the anonymous post I referenced that I believe to be him, or at least the correct scenario. I don't agree with you either LOL but I do respect your views also. That's all any of us have is an opinion & speculation. As you said, everyone who's gotten involved in this case in one way or another has done so because Leanne did touch our hearts. I'm sure she touched thousands of hearts in one way or another on her travels, like the little boy she helping learn to count & danced with. I really enjoyed the videos & blog. I hope people remember the Leanne dancing to Mexican music, swinging on the swing, trying to see-saw lol and not this one act-it doesn't define her. Her life does. She was an incredible woman and even those of us who didn't know her feel the loss. It has to be a million times that for those who were blessed enough to know her & be a part of her life.

I do very strongly feel that the day she left, it didn't happen the way he says, just a friendly "I'm going for a walk, back in an hour". "Okay, babe, take your time". Nope, not buying it. Not basing that on my experience, basing it on all I've seen and read makes me strongly believe he knew when she left the house something terrible may happen-but, based on my own experience, I don't fault him for not going after her. I know how I felt during that horrendous year and I know that if I'd come to the decision that's what I wanted to do, I would have, one way or another and no-one could have prevented it. Circumstances weren't what made me decide to fight, I made my own decision. So had he gone after her & it didn't happen that day & her decision was made, it would have just happened another day, another way.

That is an odd statement if he knew she was suicidal. Even my husband who was at a complete loss as to how to handle me didn't tell me to take my time. I didn't go upstairs & nicely say I was going for a ride & would be back in an hour. I yelled from the back door "going for a ride!" & left - I didn't want conversation, I didn't want him to have a chance to stop me.

Hi Diane - wow, I didn't know that. Unusual, to say the least. Very strange. It is puzzling why she'd take the 60.00 & credit card. I could see it if her intention wasn't to commit suicide when she left the house, but she must have taken the rope with her, which would void that idea, so no clue. It's never been said though that she did take rope with her. Could it be that she left the house not intending to take her life (if that's what happened) and gotten rope from somewhere? Or do we even know she used rope? She could have hung herself with a piece of her clothing or even with the backpack strap, couldn't she? It's just been assumed she planned this & took rope with her. If she did use a piece of clothing or the backpack strap, if she indeed hung herself, I'd be inclined to think it's not what she planned when she left for her walk.

i think some of you dont quite understand "changing story". she went for a walk, she left on her own free will, she took a backpack-may be a run away.... is all the same. now had the story changed to something like, three men abducted her....josh has maintained a consistent, she left of her own free will, he has only added details to that same base line as he became aware of things.he knew her so well that he could speculate what she would do and where she would go.sorry for your loss Josh.

He caught her communicating with someone they had met overseas. They got in a fight about it. She said I'm going for a walk and left the house angry. He sat at the house thinking about their fight getting angrier and angrier by the minute and after about 15 minutes he decided to go after her. He took his parents car and met up with her near where her body was found. He strangled her with a white cloth or t-shirt. Whether he set up the suicide scene then or went back and did it later I'm not sure...Please get a 2nd opinion and investigate the husband.

One of Leanne's friends posted on the Justice for Leaenne fb page that Leanne had been in contact with her several weeks before they came home and said there were problems, that they'd had it pretty rough the last couple of months, so there were apparently marital problems and that she'd told others this,too. I cannot imagine why the police ignored that red flag.

Agree, IMO. I read today that she was cremated and he brought her ashes home today. What a surprise I don't think, JMO, it's standard procedure to release a body and have it cremated before all of the autopsy results are in and a final ruling has been made, but it goes right along with the handling of the rest of this case, IMO. Poor Leanne, may she RIP.

IF anyone harmed Leanne physically or otherwise and got away with it (not saying anyone did but IF they did), they'll only get away with it till they meet their maker. Even for non-believers..there's either a hell on earth or a hell after. Nothing done to harm another is without consequences of one kind or another. Just sayin'. Are there still fundraisers going on???

Funny how last night the Justice for Leanne FB page did a 180 & the admin made a post to that effect & he posted there during the day, someone commented on another thread here about him bringing his ashes home yesterday and he's just thinking about FB. Today the post was rewritten to say "I don't know if he'll feel like commenting, as he is grieving". lol Just my opinion, serious doubts about who the admin actually is there.

Most of the confusion I'm reading here comes from incorrect information, not inconsistencies in the statements of the family or in the behavior of the people in the case itself.

If you want to analyze the statement, analyze the words - you don't draw upon personal prejudices or hazy rumors. If statement analysis is a true type of "analysis" then it needs to have rules and consistency. What I see here is someone stating their opinion based on (in some cases factually incorrect) news reports, and then sorting through the words to back up their opinion.

There is a functional reason Leanne Bearden took that backpack. There is a huge and very good reason that the family did not immediately share with the public that she may have been depressed, and this decision was made after consultation WITH the police. The request for people to search their property was also a suggestion made by local law enforcement, who asked the family members being interviewed to put out specific information and make a few search-related requests - heck, this information is publicly available and still people overlook it because it doesn't fit their prejudice.

It doesn't really matter what you think YOU would do, because if you were missing your wife, desperately worried, afraid her depression might have sent her over the edge but hoping her depression just made her run away to think, and the police sat down with you and told you how to phrase your statement so that in their experience all bases would be covered and the missing person wasn't sent further into shame or fear by having their "possibly suicidal" tag glued to their back, then perhaps you would reconsider your own imagined impulses in the case.

There is so much misinformation here there's no way you can draw logical conclusions. Leanne's family was an intimate part of the investigation, along with Josh's. The people who have been posting anonymously here pretending to be 'friends' of the family are not - they are using information that has been published and rumors that have been speculated about, not real information about Leanne or the investigation.

Very interesting post Anonymous 8:15, you seem very close to the family and the research efforts.

Some doubts:

- If LE is directing the search, why not make "search-related" requests directly on tv instead of instruct the grieving husband ?.

- Police telling the husband how to phrase statements in the inverviews?, OK. But so that the "missing person" doesn't feel shame?, I'm no expert but that particular explanation doesn't make sense to me. I would expect that in case of kid/adolescent search, not an adult.

Seems to me, if a missing person was in a fragile state, or a threat to self, & was prior knowledge-- the objective would be to highlight this in some manner. Ensuring a search for would be given high priority, &/or heightened concerned public interest looking for.I see it done all the time in Amber Alerts, in reference to adults or children. Sometimes vague, others very specific. E.g., "Life or death urgency. suspect is a threat to self & child. Intent to physically harm was indicated." Or in other missing cases: "Person may be in need of medical [care/intervention]" ~ She [requires/ dependent upon] daily medication a/o treatments for a chronic health condition." ~ "May be in a fragile mental state." ~ "Is suffering from [confusion/ depression] ~ "May appear distraught/ violent/ withdrawn.]"Point being, if they were SO concerned about the "stigmas" associated with depression, Evidently only as reflection upon the JB family-- there is much that could have been said, even vague, to suggest & instill some life or death urgency. Easily said without really jeopardizing Leeann's privacy. However, priority should have been finding ASAP, by any means. Not the slim chance of bruising pride.But they didn't. In fact they or *he, made significant effort to engineer an opposing theory. And evoke a consensus that LB just *walked away*, "of her own free will." And as I see it, used very calculated details to trickle out, conjuring up others as he perceived needed, all to spin his false narrative. And while doing so, fed the illusion that Leeann was alive & well, & was choosing not to be found. Based on the tragic outcome, he went well beyond any rationale, to now claim an alternate ending was "expected"??! Like so many other aspects of this case, suspicious words & actions by, only perpetuated outside perception of his involvement in her demise.I don't believe police would advise releasing such inaccurate information. Considering it would have the reverse effect. If believed she left & in hiding, most strangers would want to respect her privacy. Feeling she was escaping from someone/something, warranting. Yet police were so quick to exonerate JB, and Abandon the search, Simultaneously. I honestly thought It was a ploy, to put JB at ease. To then monitor under his radar, & wait for his lead to the body. Granted I neglected small-town LE corruption as a factor!Anyhow I'm still not buying What he's selling! Just saying.-CM

I haven't read all of these comments but most seem to place blame in Josh's direction... Wouldn't it have been easier for him to go along with the "left of her own accord" that the police concluded and leave it at that? Why would he drag nationwide attention to this case if he was in any way responsible???

I find it suspicious that her cell was left behind- she had a close loving family... She wanted to commit suicide and not be found? If she didn't want to be discovered she would have left the phone back. It doesn't seem like that would fit. However what does make sense is that she left on own free will angry at him or afraid And forgot phone. Then he noticed the phone want with her and instead of bringin it to her he followed her to continue the fight or to stage the suicide